American ginseng

American ginseng
Panax quinquefolius[1]

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[2]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[3]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Panax
Subgenus: Panax subg. Panax
Species:
P. quinquefolius
Binomial name
Panax quinquefolius
Synonyms[5]
Homotypic synonyms
    • Aralia quinquefolia (L.) Decne. & Planch.
    • Ginseng quinquefolium (L.) Alph.Wood
Heterotypic synonyms
    • Panax americanus (Raf.) Raf.
    • Panax americanus var. elatus Raf.
    • Panax americanus var. obovatus (Raf.) Raf.
    • Panax cuneatus Raf.
    • Panax quinquefolius var. americanus Raf.
    • Panax quinquefolius var. obovatus Raf.

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a species of flowering plant in the ivy family Araliaceae. It is native to eastern North America and has been introduced into China. The specific epithet quinquefolius means "five-leaved", which refers to the typical number of leaflets per leaf. It is one of a group of taxa known as "ginseng".

Europeans first became aware of American ginseng near Montreal in 1716. It has been wild-harvested and exported to Asia since 1720. Billions of plants were wild-harvested in the 19th century alone. To control international trade and prevent global extinction of the species, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service implements a CITES Export Program that authorizes 19 states and one tribe to export American ginseng from the United States. From 1978 to 2019, the bulk of exports have come from southern Appalachian states, especially Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee.

The conservation status of American ginseng is globally vulnerable. It is imperiled or critically imperiled in 14 states and provinces. In Canada, the species is endangered and facing imminent extinction.

As wild populations declined in the late 19th century, American ginseng became a domesticated crop. It is cultivated primarily in Ontario, Wisconsin, British Columbia, and China. Canada is the largest producer and exporter of cultivated American ginseng in the world. It is the state herb of Wisconsin.

  1. ^ Panax_quinquefolius L., from "American medical botany being a collection of the native medicinal plants of the United States, containing their botanical history and chemical analysis, and properties and uses in medicine, diet and the arts" by Jacob Bigelow,1786/7-1879. Publication in Boston by Cummings and Hilliard,1817-1820.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference NatureServe was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference IPNI:300467-2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference POWO:300467-2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).